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- Travel for work, excluding the commute, up to 5000 kilometres, without receipts;

- $150 for washing clothes, if they have a workplace logo, again no receipt required;

- And other reasonable expenses, like mobile phone calls and other work-related purchases.

"There are a lot of women's handbags out there that are large enough to hold files in....and if that's the reason you bought it to carry work from home, you can depreciate that handbag," Ms Michaels said.

Claims on home office expenses are in the sights of the ATO this year, after six million people claimed expenses last year. Picture: 9NEWS (9NEWS)

But the tax office is watching, and warning that this year it's paying particular attention to:

- Home office expenses, including clothing and laundry deductions after six million people claimed expenses last year;

- Over-claiming costs relating to holiday rental homes;

- And travel costs, with a focus on potentially fake log-books.

The Australia Tax Office Assistant Commissioner Kath Anderson says they are using more sophisticated high-tech tracking methods to catch cheats.

She added that, while claiming travel can be confusing, some people are simply being dishonest.

"It's not a free ride... you actually needed to have undertaken that travel as part of your job," Ms Anderson said.

The deadline for lodging your income tax return is October 31 and the tax office can impose significant penalties on anyone who fails to comply.

The deadline for lodging your tax return is October 31. Picture: 9NEWS (9NEWS)

HoodSweeney's Accounting and Business manager Dion Carbone says people need to start thinking about their tax return now.

"Don't leave your tax to the last minute," he said.

"I know it's just one of the things you want to leave and get done at the end of the year."

Fines for not lodging start at $210 but rise over time and interest can also be applied.